Rose Street man charged with assault, harassment

February 1, 2012

A Rose Street man faces charges for allegedly assaulting another man in his ex-girlfriend's Third Avenue apartment, city police said.

Matthew Allen Lantz, 26, of 659 Rose St., has been charged with simple assault and harassment for allegedly punching David Cover in the face and body inside Jessica White's apartment at 711 Third Ave. on Oct. 18, police said.

Cover was at White's apartment when Lantz arrived by "pounding on the front door," police said. Cover fled down a set of basement steps with the intent of going out a basement door, police said.

"I'm going to get a knife and I'm going to jail tonight," Lantz told White as the two began yelling and screaming at one another, police said.

The commotion prompted Cover to run upstairs, where he found Lantz holding the woman down.

"Get off her," Cover told Lantz.

"Where did you come from," Lantz asked as he moved toward Cover, wrestling him to the floor and allegedly assaulting him, police said.

Cover was treated at the Williamsport Regional Medical Center for injuries to his face, ribs and left shoulder, police said. Lantz was treated for a broken hand.

The following day, White found Cover's eyeglasses on the bedroom floor and was intending to return them, but when Lantz saw them, he picked them up and put them in his backpack.

"Wait until I run into him. I will break them in front of him," Lantz told White. Lantz faces an additional charge of theft, police said.

Lantz waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday before District Judge James G. Carn and was released on bail.